Routemaster Double Decker Farewell - Britmovie

samkydd · 10-12-2005, 05:52 PM

The London Transport Routemaster double decker bus which has been in service since 1956, and probably featured in more British films than Sam Kydd himself, is officially retired now. It was as sexy as a Citroen DS, as cool as an Aston Martin, and as big as Big Ben!

Tonight on BBC4 from 7pm there is an evening schedule dedicated to this beautiful bus, and included is the famous Summer Holiday Cliff Richard film.

I missed the auction of surplus Routemasters a few months ago, and I would have loved to have owned one. Not exactly practical, but it would have been fun to have.

".........lots of families have people carriers these days!" said sam pathetically, desperately trying to convince Mrs samkydd!

So if you're going out tonight just set it to record and enjoy it later in the week, just the ticket.

sanndevil · 10-12-2005, 06:11 PM

You can still buy the beauts - click here! The problem is more where to put a double-deck bus than the actual purchase price! Don't think my neighbours would be happy.

samkydd · 11-12-2005, 08:25 AM

Quote:

(sanndevil @ Dec 10 2005, 06:11 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
You can still buy the beauts - click here! The problem is more where to put a double-deck bus than the actual purchase price! Don't think my neighbours would be happy.
[/b]

I saw a bit of Summer Holiday and the fashions back then were just great. I just want to get the Brylcreem out and rush out and buy a French style hooped tee shirt, lightweight summer slacks and a pair of canvas deck shoes! It also struck me how "cheesy" Cliff Richard was in the world of pop. Had The Rolling Stones made the same film there would have been a lot more "goings-on" in the confines of the bus, and memorable songs aplenty!

An early screen appearance in the film for Jeremy Bullock too, who was a 1960s youthful version of Sam Kydd or Norman Bird! I mention him because I once played football against his team of "All Stars" many years ago when I was a youth and capable of lasting 90 minutes! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rotfl.gif[/img]

I think he had a bigger role in the TV series about WW2 bomber pilots called The Pathfinders.

foha80 · 11-12-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

</div><div class='quotemain'>It also struck me how "cheesy" Cliff Richard was in the world of pop. [/b]

To me there wasn't anything more cheesier than Cliff,I still wouldn't cross the road to see him.
Yet The young ones/Summer Holiday/Wonderful Life have a charm about them that appeals to me.
Mind numbing escapism,it's got it place.

samkydd · 12-12-2005, 10:25 AM

Quote:

(sanndevil @ Dec 10 2005, 06:11 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
You can still buy the beauts - click here! The problem is more where to put a double-deck bus than the actual purchase price! Don't think my neighbours would be happy.
[/b]

The innovative design and engineering thet went into this bus is truly remarkable. The design and simple engineering enabled tham to be refurbished every four years, which increased their lifespan to forty or even fifty years! It's the Douglas Dakota of the bus industry! I'm glad to see that some provincial bus companies have bought old Routemasters now, the operating costs are a third that of modern buses, and many have found their way abroad too. I think Sri Lanka has bought 25 of them.

What bus companies today don't seem to realise is that with a conductor on board people feel more secure, especially at night, and the fact that people can hop on and take their seat before paying the conductor means that there are no hold ups queing up at the bus stop or on the journey. On pay as you enter buses there is always some idiot holding everyone up by trying to pay for a 90 pence fare with a twenty pound note!

Progress isn't necessarily progress if it causes inconvenience to people! It's the same with checkouts in supermarkets, what's wrong with ringing up the amounts on a normal till? If the scanner can't read a bar code you can spend the remainder of your life waiting for a supervisor to come to the checkout assistant's aid, and all you wanted was a pint of milk!

Hell_driver · 13-12-2005, 09:52 AM

They have them in Canada, as I've recently come back from a holiday at the Niagara Falls & you can get a tour of various local attractions riding in one of several RM'S that they have.

Made a nice change to be on a "proper" bus even if it was with a tour guide instead of a conductor.

Steve Crook · 13-12-2005, 10:08 AM

You can actually still ride them in London. But it's too much to expect any journalist to bother reporting on the real story. They just go for the quick & easy shock-horror headline.

They have been taken off all main routes, there weren't many that were still using them. But are still being used on a couple of "heritage routes" run by Transport for London. See TfL web site.

They are also still used by some of the tour guide companies in London.

Steve

10-12-2005, 05:52 PM	#1
samkydd is A non-entity Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stackton Tressle Posts: 2,415 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	The London Transport Routemaster double decker bus which has been in service since 1956, and probably featured in more British films than Sam Kydd himself, is officially retired now. It was as sexy as a Citroen DS, as cool as an Aston Martin, and as big as Big Ben! Tonight on BBC4 from 7pm there is an evening schedule dedicated to this beautiful bus, and included is the famous Summer Holiday Cliff Richard film. I missed the auction of surplus Routemasters a few months ago, and I would have loved to have owned one. Not exactly practical, but it would have been fun to have. ".........lots of families have people carriers these days!" said sam pathetically, desperately trying to convince Mrs samkydd! So if you're going out tonight just set it to record and enjoy it later in the week, just the ticket. __________________ "...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

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10-12-2005, 06:11 PM	#2
sanndevil has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Streatham SW2 Posts: 387 Country: iTrader: (0)	You can still buy the beauts - click here! The problem is more where to put a double-deck bus than the actual purchase price! Don't think my neighbours would be happy.

13-12-2005, 09:52 AM	#6
Hell_driver has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Birmingham, West Mids Posts: 112 Country: iTrader: (0)	They have them in Canada, as I've recently come back from a holiday at the Niagara Falls & you can get a tour of various local attractions riding in one of several RM'S that they have. Made a nice change to be on a "proper" bus even if it was with a tour guide instead of a conductor.

13-12-2005, 10:08 AM	#7
Steve Crook is still cheeky Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: London Posts: 9,706 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (1)	You can actually still ride them in London. But it's too much to expect any journalist to bother reporting on the real story. They just go for the quick & easy shock-horror headline. They have been taken off all main routes, there weren't many that were still using them. But are still being used on a couple of "heritage routes" run by Transport for London. See TfL web site. They are also still used by some of the tour guide companies in London. Steve